Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-03-15
ANOTHER HORROR.
TERRIBLE RAILROAD ACCIDENT
NEAR BOSTON.
A Train Goes Through Bridge
Thirty-two Persons Killed and
ABOUT Fifty Injured.
icy rELEerArH 70 THE rEoORD-uslos.l

BosroS, March 14th.-A frightful acc:-
dent occurred on the Dedham branch OF
the Boston and Providence Railroad this
morning, between Forest Hill and Roslin-
dale. at what is known as Bussey Park
bridge. At7oclock the train from Ded-
ham, consisting of seven cars and the bag
gage car. under charge of conductor Tilden,
broke through the bridge. The engine and
three-cars went over safely, but the five
others fell through the bridge to the road
beneath-a distance of thirty feet. The
last car, which was smoker, was turned
completely over, and struck on the top of
the others, all being crushed almost out of
shape.
1t is stated that the bridge where the ac-
cident occurred this morning is a compare
lively new one. and that the accident was
caused by a truck of one OF the cars giving
way, thus causing the car to strike heavily
against the abutment of the bridge. The
smoking car, after it fell. caught fire, but
the fire department was promptly on hand
and prevented any spread of the flames.
Inc DOOleS Oh luG utdQ UlNC Oil OCCA ~
moved, and of the wounded some are at
the hospital and some have been taken
home. Among the killed are conductor
Tilden. Sergeant Taylor of the Boston po-
lice: w. E. Snow, Alice Burnett of Roslin-
dale; Mabel Adams and Frank Norris. of
Dedham. Harry Cav was MORALLY injured,
and is diving. Many of the injured were
brought to hospitals in this city, and some
of the killed have not yet been identified.
The train was crowded with working peo-
pie. and the most intense excitement pre-
walls among their friends, who are anxious
to learn the names of the killed and
wounded.
The engineer, when his engine broke
from the train, kept right on to Forest Hill
and gave the alarm, instead OF stopping 10
ascertain the extent of the accident. On
that account it was impossible to get assist
ance at once. The officers of the road are
present and are doing all they can. Many
doctors are also there, and are dong every
thing in their power to relieve the sufferers.
The bodies of the killed were horribly
mangled. some of their heads being en-
tirely severed from their bodies, and many
of the bodies are crushed beyond recogni-
ton. The police say that twenty-three
persons were killed outright, and that
nearly rs many others will die. A. Web
ster Clapp died in the Forest Hill station,
where he had been taken.
The scene of the accident is about two
miles from Jamaica Plains, which is about
fifteen miles from this city. At Jamaica
Plains the main line of the Boston d Prov
idence Railroad branches oil TO the left to
Readville and Providence, while to the
right runs sweeping curve, the Dedham
branch. This arm is built through valley
!: md hiuh nm
bankment South street runs diagonally
under the track of the branch, and it was
into this cut that the cars of the train
plunged from the bridge which crosses 1t.
LATER FACTS CONCERNING THE DISASTER.
BosroN March 14th-P. Nan old flaw
had weakened the truss, or girder, to such
an extent that when the full weight OF the
train came upon the bridge it caused the re-
naming section of the truss to give way,
thus allowing the entire structure to fall.
Engineer White says that when going
across the bridge ne felt shock, which he
thought might have been caused by
broken axle. This, however, could not
possibly have been the first cause of the
accident, for the trucks of the first two cars
are in good condition. except in regard to
the fractured oak timber of one of the
trucks. The only remaining possible cause
of the accident is a broken rail, and il is
doubtful, as before stated, whether an in
vestigation into this point could result
satisfactorily, for there are many pieces of
broken and twisted rails snarled up in the
wreck. The probable cause of the smash
ing I'D of the three cars nearest the engine,
which remained on top of the embank
ment, is that they must have jumped the
track when the rear car went through the
bridge. Busy bridge was built 10 years
ago, and during the past 10 years has been
repaired three times.
Workmen have been busily engaged all
day in removing debris from the street and
from the embankment. The wreck is so
complete that no attempt was made
to save any portion of the train. Addi-
tional evidences were found of the terrible
nature of the disaster, at a late hour, as
the work of removing the wreck pro-
crossed. In some places were fragments
of flesh, or pieces OF clothing which had
belonged to some victim whose remains
had previously been removed. There was
blood over everything, and most of the
pieces of clothing found were from gar
ments of women, and the fatality among
them was proportionately greater. In one
place the bodies of seven were taken out,
all horribly mangled.